# WW2 Pipe Smoking kit?



## Hellraiser (Mar 17, 2006)

My wonderful wife surprised me the other day with a gift. It appears to be a WW2 pipe smoking kit for servicemen.

The pipe is marked THREE STAR and the documentation mentions that it is not briar due to war supply. I have been unable to find any information about this pipe or kit, anybody know anything?

I have no idea what to do with this kit, don't really feel like smoking the pipe as it is unsmoked and I really don't need another pipe to smoke as I have plenty so I will probably just keep it as is. The Dunhill lighter is also unused.

Here are some pics of the kit:


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## x6ftundx (Jul 31, 2008)

nice find, where did she find it? that might make some sense of where it came from.

you also might want to contact these people as they just sold one

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/wwii-pipe-smoking-kit-with-dunhill-service


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## bent-1 (Feb 3, 2011)

That's quite a find, can't say I've seen this before. Anyhow, the pipe may be made of manzanita burl (WWII era KBB (Kaywoodie) Monterey "Specimen Grain), sometimes called Mission Briar.


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

Dunhill made these kits for smokers during WW2. The service lighter is a fairly common item as Dunhill must have distributed thousands of them. The interesting thing is they run on a variety of fuels...lighter fluid, petrol and deisel. They go from anywhere between $10 to $30 on eBay and there are some on auction most weeks. Some even have advertising printed on them. The complete pipe kits are a more rare item. Here's a link to one that recently sold on eBay.

Judd's MINT WWII Pipe Kit by Dunhill! - eBay (item 380307150562 end time Jan-18-11 17:31:05 PST)

Here is a pic of some Dunhill WW2 service pipes from Loring's site:










Another bit of WW2 trivia. There was an action, code named Operation Dunhill, where British SAS forces attacked in preparation for the Cobra breakout in Normandy.

That's a great item for lovers of WW2 history and pipes. Enjoy!

Here's an interesting tibit about Dunhill during WWI

"Alfred Dunhill wanted his pipes to be known around the world. WWI provided him the perfect opportunity to promote his product on an international scale. When an order was placed by an officer serving in Northern France, Alfred would send additional pipes with a note asking that they be distributed among his fellow officers. The pipes were sold not only to British officers but to Americans, French, Belgians and Canadians. By the end of the war the Dunhill Pipe, with its "white spot", was known the world over."


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## gjcab09 (Jul 12, 2009)

That's really neat!


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## Hellraiser (Mar 17, 2006)

Thanks for the info guys!

I told my wife a few weeks back that I could really use a pipe bag, something simple to carry a pipe and some tobacco. My wife brings me a box a couple days ago and out pops this kit. I'm amazed that she picked this out and was initially a little worried that she may have paid more than it's worth. She bought this on ebay (buy it now) for about the same price that Judd's kit went for in indigosmokes' post so the price she paid seems inline with market value. 

The funny thing is that I still need a pipe bag as I really don't want to damage or lose the bag that came with this kit, which is in great shape for a 70+ year old piece of pigskin.

Part of me wants to keep this kit unused and pristine, another part wants me to load up some tobacco and fuel up that Dunhill trench lighter.


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## CWL (Mar 25, 2010)

That is a surplus pipe kit sold after WWII. I am sure all the contents are genuine, just surplus kitted and then sold probably in the 1950's.

If it was issued during wartime, it would not have included the paper discussing WW2 and the rarity of the kit.

Also, nobody called it "WWII" until after the war was over. It was referred to as the "Great War" during the period of actual fighting (yes, WWI was also called the "Great War")


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

CWL said:


> That is a surplus pipe kit sold after WWII. I am sure all the contents are genuine, just surplus kitted and then sold probably in the 1950's.


I would think it would have to be surplus since it is unused. I can't imagine many GIs or Tommies would have carried that kit around without using it.


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## Hellraiser (Mar 17, 2006)

CWL said:


> That is a surplus pipe kit sold after WWII. I am sure all the contents are genuine, just surplus kitted and then sold probably in the 1950's.
> 
> If it was issued during wartime, it would not have included the paper discussing WW2 and the rarity of the kit.
> 
> Also, nobody called it "WWII" until after the war was over. It was referred to as the "Great War" during the period of actual fighting (yes, WWI was also called the "Great War")


Good point, seems obvious now that you say it.


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## Jack Straw (Nov 20, 2008)

That's really cool! How functional is the lighter?


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## bigdaddychester (Feb 22, 2010)

I'm thinking of making a trip to the couple of Army/Navy Surplus stores around the area this weekend.....


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## skydvejam (Feb 27, 2011)

That is a cool find, and has me thinking being a combat GI and all about something interesting to collect. 
Hmm might have to do some looking around.


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

Well, it certainly beats an MRE!


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## skydvejam (Feb 27, 2011)

MarkC said:


> Well, it certainly beats an MRE!


That is no joke lol


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

skydvejam said:


> That is a cool find, and has me thinking being a combat GI and all about something interesting to collect.
> Hmm might have to do some looking around.


Just did a quick search on eBay for you but at the moment the only WW2 pipes they have are the Wehrmacht pipes. If you keep an eye on eBay the Dunhill kits do pop up ever so often. I've been tempted once or twice myself, but never bid on one.


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## CWL (Mar 25, 2010)

MarkC said:


> Well, it certainly beats an MRE!


K-rations!


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## skydvejam (Feb 27, 2011)

Thanks I did the ebay search as well. 
As for K rats, we had one when I was a kid working on a boy scout camp, so we had to open it and see how it was, wow that was a mistake, bleh.


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## jfdiii (Nov 12, 2010)

Short answer: I say use the stuff. Long winded answer follows:
Before switching addictions to pipes and tobaccos, I did a lot of buying, collecting, and restoring old surplus rifles. There are many similarities. If you find something that is rare enough or has a "story" behind it, it is often preferable to simply leave it as is (clean it if it's gross), either to have as an investment or a new family heirloom.
Most true surplus is plentiful and usually did not get unpacked out of the case. Use it as it was intended. However, keep in mind that the older it is, generally the more valuable it is because of dwindling stock. 
If you bought an estate pipe from 1910 would you use it? In most cases that is the reason you acquired it so, yes. The same applies to this tobacco pouch, pipes, and lighter. Use them as they were intended. When I take a bunch of WWII era guns to the farm for some shooting I feel a certain respect and admiration both for the guys that fought with them but also in the craftsmanship of each piece. Every time you use this stuff think of it as a tribute of sorts.
Ok, now you HAVE to use them or feel unpatriotic. :usa2::canada:eace::cheeky:


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## GreatBonsai (Jun 30, 2008)

MarkC said:


> Well, it certainly beats an MRE!


But I _like_ gaining 10lbs after each meal! uke:

And besides, the night after we all had MRE's for a week in basic (and I had midnight security checks) makes me think I can survive any room note, no matter how foul!


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

CWL said:


> K-rations!


Rats. Beat me to it!


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

Very cool. I'm surprised that it's not worth more, actually, even though surprisingly there seems to be a lot of them.


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## laloin (Jun 29, 2010)

MarkC said:


> Well, it certainly beats an MRE!


4 fingers of death, Meals rejected by everyone. Meals rejected by ethoipians heh, the list goes on and on 
troy


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## Hellraiser (Mar 17, 2006)

jfdiii said:


> Short answer: I say use the stuff. Long winded answer follows:
> Before switching addictions to pipes and tobaccos, I did a lot of buying, collecting, and restoring old surplus rifles. There are many similarities. If you find something that is rare enough or has a "story" behind it, it is often preferable to simply leave it as is (clean it if it's gross), either to have as an investment or a new family heirloom.
> Most true surplus is plentiful and usually did not get unpacked out of the case. Use it as it was intended. However, keep in mind that the older it is, generally the more valuable it is because of dwindling stock.
> If you bought an estate pipe from 1910 would you use it? In most cases that is the reason you acquired it so, yes. The same applies to this tobacco pouch, pipes, and lighter. Use them as they were intended. When I take a bunch of WWII era guns to the farm for some shooting I feel a certain respect and admiration both for the guys that fought with them but also in the craftsmanship of each piece. Every time you use this stuff think of it as a tribute of sorts.
> Ok, now you HAVE to use them or feel unpatriotic. :usa2::canada:eace::cheeky:


After thinking about it some more, I've decided to use the kit as intended, to smoke with. My wife bought it for me to use and enjoy, not to store away in the hopes of reselling for some small profit or for my kids to sell for a few bucks in my estate sale when I'm dead. So I'm gonna clean it up, put some wax on it and smoke it and think of the brave servicemen it was meant for.


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## gjcab09 (Jul 12, 2009)

Hellraiser said:


> After thinking about it some more, I've decided to use the kit as intended, to smoke with. My wife bought it for me to use and enjoy, not to store away in the hopes of reselling for some small profit or for my kids to sell for a few bucks in my estate sale when I'm dead. So I'm gonna clean it up, put some wax on it and smoke it and think of the brave servicemen it was meant for.


Good for you, Bob.


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

Hellraiser said:


> So I'm gonna clean it up, put some wax on it and smoke it and think of the brave servicemen it was meant for.


Right on! Maybe some Squadron Leader, North Sea, or Battleground to set the mood. (I've smoked none of these, just thought the names seemed to match the time.)


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## Steved (Aug 6, 2014)

Hi There, just reading about the servicemans smoking kit and remembered something that drawer , it is a star pipe i believe from WW2 but with a twist, it has a compass hidden inside it, hopefully i have attached a couple of pics, anyone got any ideas on this one ????
Cheers
Steve


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## steinr1 (Oct 22, 2010)

Steved said:


> Hi There, just reading about the servicemans smoking kit and remembered something that drawer , it is a star pipe i believe from WW2 but with a twist, it has a compass hidden inside it, hopefully i have attached a couple of pics, anyone got any ideas on this one ????
> Cheers
> Steve


I've stopped posting on this forum - I just have a crafty lurk occasionally but I thought this post deserved an answer...

This does indeed look like a pipe supplied to RAF servicemen during WWII for escape purposes and uses a concealment devised by Comoy. They are not extremely rare but are definitely uncommon.


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## Emperor Zurg (May 6, 2013)

steinr1 said:


> I've stopped posting on this forum - I just have a crafty lurk occasionally...


Where have you been?
I miss your over-the-pond commentary... sometimes oke:


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## NeverBend (Aug 29, 2009)

steinr1 said:


> I've stopped posting on this forum - I just have a crafty lurk occasionally but I thought this post deserved an answer...
> 
> This does indeed look like a pipe supplied to RAF servicemen during WWII for escape purposes and uses a concealment devised by Comoy. They are not extremely rare but are definitely uncommon.


+2 to Comoy for helping the war effort
+1 that pipes mattered in WWII
-1 for not passing a pipe cleaner


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